Bergeron has four points in return, Bruins top Predators

BOSTON --Patrice Bergeron had four points, including his 300th NHL goal, in his return to the lineup, and the Boston Bruins defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2 at TD Garden on Saturday.

Bergeron, who missed 16 games with a rib/collarbone injury, had two goals and two assists; Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak each had a goal and two assists, and Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves for the Bruins (20-12-4), who have won three in a row and six of their past eight games.
"I felt like there was some rust], especially early on, but … felt good, kept things simple early, and obviously playing with [Marchand], we're used to playing [together]," Bergeron said.
***[WATCH: [All Predators vs. Bruins highlights]*
Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris scored, and Pekka Rinne made 27 saves for the Predators (22-13-2), who have lost four in a row for the first time this season. Nashville has lost 10 straight on the road after starting the season with eight straight wins away from home.
"We played well enough to win a game, we made enough mistakes to lose a hockey game," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "I think right now … especially on the road, it's about those one or two or three extra things in the course of the game that we could clean up, that we're in control of, we could be better."
Bergeron scored at 15:10 of the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. He settled a Charlie McAvoy pass on his backhand, shifted the puck to his forehand and beat Rinne with a wrist shot.

The Bruins appeared to take a 2-0 lead at 8:12 of the second period when McAvoy scored. The call was overturned after Nashville used a coach's challenge for goaltender interference.
Johansen tied it 1-1 at 13:01 of the second period. After Craig Smith made a cross-ice pass off the right wall, Johansen scored on a one-timer from near the right face-off dot.
Bergeron scored his second goal, 300th in the NHL, on a power play at 1:44 of the third period for a 2-1 lead. Pastrnak and Danton Heinen created havoc around Rinne and Bergeron scored on a rebound from the slot.
"I actually didn't know," said Bergeron, who played his 983rd NHL game. "And the ref came with the puck on the bench and I was like, '300? I actually had no idea.' I was like, 'No, I don't think it's me, it's someone else.' So that's how I keep up with my stats."
Marchand said, "I was right beside him. I should know that, I watch his stats every day. But it's just another accolade for him and another great accomplishment. So very happy for him."
Turris scored at 9:17 with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle to tie the score at 2-2.
Marchand's power-play goal at 11:23 of the third period assisted by Bergeron put the Bruins ahead 3-2.
Pastrnak scored on a one-timer off a pass from Marchand at 14:09 for a 4-2 lead. Bergeron had an assist.
Sean Kuraly scored an empty-net goal at 18:01 to make it 5-2.

They said it

"It's good that we get the break here, get your mind out of this little rut we're in and enjoy some family and some time away from the game. Hopefully, we come back hungrier and rested, maybe a bit healthier than we are now and go from there."-- Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis on the upcoming holiday break
"He's one of the best players in the League and this shows why. The fact that he's able to come back and not just jump into a game and have four points, but to play against a team like Nashville, who is one of the top teams in the League, they play very fast, it's probably one of the faster games we've had all year. And it's tough to jump in after five weeks and feel good, so he's an incredible leader and player and he showed that again tonight." --Bruins forward Brad Marchand on Patrice Bergeron

Need to know

The Bruins and Predators split their two-game season series. Nashville won 1-0 at home on Nov. 3. … Bergeron became the sixth player to score 300 goals with the Bruins, joining Cam Neely (344), Ray Bourque (395), Rick Middleton (402), Phil Esposito (459) and Johnny Bucyk (545).

What's next

Predators: Host the Dallas Stars on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, FS-SW, NHL.TV)
Bruins:At the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday (5 p.m. ET; SN1, FS-CR, NESN, NHL.TV)